House Democrats unveil changes to border bill to win over progressives

House Democratic leaders on Tuesday unveiled a set of changes to a $4.5 billion package to address the flow of migrants at the southern border in an effort to win over skeptical progressive and Hispanic lawmakers.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Democratic leaders met with members of the Progressive and Hispanic caucuses late into the night on Monday to win over their support to pass the legislation, which the House is expected to consider on Tuesday.

The changes unveiled by the House Appropriations Committee include requiring Customs and Border Protection to establish health standards for children and adults in custody, including for nutrition and hygiene.

They would also require the Department of Homeland Security to submit a plan to ensure that all migrants have access to translation services. In addition, they would limit the amount of time that unaccompanied migrant children can spend at an arrival shelter unless the Department of Health and Human Services notifies Congress that there isn't enough space at licensed facilities to ensure a transfer to a state-licensed facility.

House Republicans are largely expected to side with the White House and vote against the package, given their opposition to provisions that establish more restrictions for the migrant detention facilities. The White House issued a veto threat against the House bill, calling it a "partisan bill that underfunds necessary accounts and seeks to take advantage of the current crisis by inserting policy provisions that would make our country less safe."

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), a member of the House Appropriations Committee who represents a district along the southern border, described the changes as "guardrails" designed to ensure that migrant children are protected.

He expressed confidence that the legislation would pass later Tuesday, although some liberals would likely still oppose it.

House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) also predicted passage: “If we failed to do it, it would be seen as a victory for Trump.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) also predicted it would pass: "I certainly expect it to."